Each morning, Pali students gather in chaotic lines leading to the school’s front gates —  their student IDs clutched in one hand and their negative COVID-19 tests in the other. These protocols, along with routine temperature checks, have become the new normal for students entering campus. 

With these lines growing astronomically in size as the 7:50 a.m. bell approaches, many Pali students are failing to get to class on time. 

Aware of the spike in tardies, school officials added a 7:30 a.m. bell that aims to remind students that they have 20 minutes to get to class. Despite such efforts from the Pali administration, rampant tardiness remains prevalent on Pali’s campus.

School officials are using frequent tardy sweeps, a practice that results in detentions for students who are stuck in the long lines outside the school. According to Amy Onyendu, Pali’s Director of Admissions, these sweeps are meant to remind students of the importance of getting to class on time.

However, many students said that they believe that the sweeps are unproductive.

Pali senior Jada Asgar, who was caught in one of these first sweeps, pointed out that the practice is counterproductive. “Having to go to the attendance office and deal with the tardy sweep for another 20 minutes just made me miss more class,” she said.

With the long lines before school each morning, students run the risk of being caught in tardy sweeps if they don’t plan their schedules accordingly. Asgar noted that she’s made sure to adjust her morning routine to avoid the logjam outside of school. 

“I used to leave the house at like 7:15ish, but now I leave around 6:45,” Asgar said.

In addition to having to wait in the health check lines, students who drive to school have experienced unexpected delays while getting onto campus.

“The parking lot lines were kind of backed up.” Asgar said, referencing the morning she was caught in a tardy sweep. “I feel like if I could have saved those five minutes that I spent finding a parking space and dealing with all of that, I could have gotten to class on time.”

Onyendu shared some advice for students who struggle with getting through the health-check lines quickly and arriving at class on time. “You should have your things, your backpack, your laptop, your charger, your homework, ready the night before, so that when you wake up you’re ready to go,” she said. “You should also ensure that you get to bed earlier and get a good night’s sleep.”

Onyendu also suggests that “students should have their COVID test on their phone and screenshot it and save it to favorites, so that they can quickly find it. Having it up and ready will help alleviate the time that it takes to get through that line.”

Asgar is mindful that ultimately it’s every student’s responsibility to get to school on time. “That day that I got caught in the tardy sweep, I didn’t leave as early as I usually do,” she said. “So honestly, as much as I want to say it’s not on us, it is on us because we know how long it takes to get to class.”

Despite the additional hassle created by the health-check lines, Asgar said that they are still incredibly necessary, adding that she doesn’t think that any changes can or should be made. 

“I think it’s the best way that they can do it,” she explained. “You shouldn’t be able to let anyone on campus if they don’t have their information or COVID test.”

Onyendu concluded by pointing out the significant progress that Pali’s students and staff have made in navigating the hectic mornings.

“When students were getting acclimated to [the lines] at the very beginning, it was kind of hard for them so the lines were a little bit long,” Onyendu said. “But now, since they’ve been doing this for the past couple of months in school, the lines are getting much quicker. 

“We have administrators, we have teachers, we have volunteers, as well as different campus aides who are helping alleviate these lines so that students can move through quicker. We’ve all gone through the process quite a few times already, and we’re improving every day.”